HMS L24 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sunk in an accidental collision in 1924.
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS L24 |
| Builder | Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness |
| Launched | 19 February 1919 |
| Fate | Sunk after collision, 10 January 1924 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | L-class submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 238 ft 7 in (72.7 m) |
| Beam | 23 ft 6 in (7.2 m) |
| Draught | 13 ft 3 in (4.0 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range | 3,800 nmi (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) on the surface |
| Test depth | 150 feet (45.7 m) |
| Complement | 38 |
| Armament |
|
Design and description
editL9 and its successors were enlarged to accommodate 21-inch (53.3 cm) torpedoes and more fuel. The submarine had a length of 238 feet 7 inches (72.7 m) overall, a beam of 23 feet 6 inches (7.2 m) and a mean draft of 13 feet 3 inches (4.0 m).[1] They displaced 914 long tons (929 t) on the surface and 1,089 long tons (1,106 t) submerged. The L-class submarines had a crew of 38 officers and ratings.[2] They had a diving depth of 150 feet (45.7 m).[3]
For surface running, the boats were powered by two 12-cylinder Vickers[4] 1,200-brake-horsepower (895 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 600-horsepower (447 kW) electric motor.[1] They could reach 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) on the surface and 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) underwater. On the surface, the L class had a range of 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[3]
The boats were armed with four 21-inch torpedo tubes in the bow and two 18-inch (45 cm) in broadside mounts. They carried four reload torpedoes for the 21-inch tubes for a grand total of ten torpedoes of all sizes.[5] They were also armed with a 4-inch (102 mm) deck gun.[2]
Construction and career
editHMS L24 was built by Vickers at their Barrow-in-Furness shipyard, launched on 19 February 1919, and completed at an unknown date. The boat was sunk with all hands lost in a collision with the battleship Resolution during an exercise off Portland Bill in the English Channel on 10 January 1924.[6] A memorial is located in St Ann's Church in HMNB Portsmouth.[7]
The wreck is located at 50°22.50′N 02°37.79′W / 50.37500°N 2.62983°W at a depth of 52 metres. Her hydroplanes remain set to hard dive, indicating that she was trying to take evasive action. A hatch is open and there is obvious damage where Resolution sliced into her hull. The wreck is designated as a protected place under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.
Notes
edit- ^ a b Gardiner & Gray, p. 93
- ^ a b Akermann, p. 165
- ^ a b Harrison, Chapter 11
- ^ Harrison, Chapter 25
- ^ Harrison, Chapter 27
- ^ Innes McCartney (December 2002). Lost Patrols: Submarine Wrecks of the English Channel. Periscope Publishing Ltd. p. 78. ISBN 978-1-904381-04-4.
- ^ St Ann's Church - Submarine L24 Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
References
edit- Akermann, Paul (2002). Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955 (reprint of the 1989 ed.). Penzance, Cornwall: Periscope Publishing. ISBN 1-904381-05-7.
- Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
- Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
- Harrison, A. N. (January 1979). "The Development of HM Submarines From Holland No. 1 (1901) to Porpoise (1930) (BR3043)". RN Subs. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- McCartney, Innes (2002). Lost patrols : submarine wrecks of the English Channel. Penzance: Periscope. ISBN 978-1-90438-104-4.
External links
edit- SI 2008/0950 Designation under the Protection of Military Remains Act